Understanding the neurobiology of CD200 and the CD200 receptor: a therapeutic target for controlling inflammation in human brains?

• Published in: Future Neurology Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 321 - 332
• Main Authors: Walker, Douglas G, Lue, Lih-Fen
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.05.2013
• Subjects: aging; alternative activation; Alzheimer's disease; Amyloid beta-protein; anti-inflammatory signaling; Care and treatment; cell surface protein; endogenous inflammatory regulator; Gene therapy; Genetic aspects; Health aspects; Inflammation; neurodegenerative disease; neuropathology; Risk factors; United States; alternative activation; endogenous inflammatory regulator; neurodegenerative disease; cell surface protein; inflammation; anti-inflammatory signaling; aging; neuropathology
• ISSN: 1479-6708; 1748-6971
• DOI: 10.2217/fnl.13.14

CD200 and its receptor, CD200 receptor (CD200R), have unique roles in controlling damaging inflammatory processes. At present, the only identified function for CD200 is as a ligand for CD200R. These proteins interact resulting in the activation of anti-inflammatory signaling by CD200R-expressing cells. When this interaction becomes deficient with aging or disease, chronic inflammation occurs. Experimental animal studies have demonstrated the consequences of disrupting CD200-CD200R interactions in the brain, but there have been few studies in human brains. Deficiency in neuronal CD200 may explain the chronic inflammation in human neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer s disease, Parkinson s disease and multiple sclerosis; however, deficits in the microglial expression of CD200R may also be of functional significance. The purpose of this review is to assess the data regarding the role of CD200-CD200R interactions in relation to the brain in order to determine if this could be a therapeutic target for human brain diseases with inflammatory components, and what additional studies are needed.